Generally, a head assembly has a constitution in which a head slider having a head element is supported by a slider suspension (hereinafter referred to as a suspension). While the head slider is levitated through the suspension at a fixed distance from a surface of a magnetic recording medium, information is reproduced from or recorded on the recording medium such as a magnetic disk.
The disclosures summarized below seem to be relevant to the present invention: Japanese Non-examined Patent Publication No. Sho 63-226999 discloses a flexible shield wire board with a configuration in which an anisotropic conductive sheet is welded onto an insulating substrate having an electrode terminal so that the sheet is electrically connected to the terminal on the insulating substrate side. Japanese Non-examined Patent Publication No. Hei 9-115125 teaches a method in which the head is bonded to the suspension by use of an anisotropic conductive film (sheet).
Moreover, Japanese Non-examined Patent Publication No. Hei 9-282824 of common assignment, which also seems to be relevant to the present invention, proposes a head slider suspension mechanism having a partition pattern for avoiding the contact of plural types of adhesives used for bonding the head slider to the suspension.
The above-described methods achieve their advantages by electrically connecting the head slider to the suspension. However, the method in which the head slider is connected to the ball bonding by using the soldering contact pad has a problem that the suspension is deformed when more pressure than specified is applied to the pad in a ball bonding process. This deformation has as influence on the levitation property of the head slider and thus causes a disadvantageous reduction in a yield. The method in which the conductive resin is applied requires an additional process of applying the conductive resin as well as a process of bonding the head slider to the suspension. This additional process increases a lead time. Moreover, the head assembly is manufactured through many processes as described above and therefore the head element may be damaged by static electricity at the time of handling.